Cross-section of a fulgurite sample showing fused sand and melted conductor metal from a downed powerline. Credit: Luca Bindi et al. Topics: Condensed Matter Physics, Energy, Materials Science A team of researchers from Università di Firenze, the University of South Florida, California Institute of Technology, and Princeton University has found an incidence of a quasicrystalContinue reading “Serendipitous Quasicrystals…”
Category Archives: Energy
Caveat Emptor…
Topics: Alternate Energy, Applied Physics, Climate Change, Energy, Global Warming, Lasers, Nuclear Fusion After the heady, breathtaking coverage of pop science journalism, I dove into the grim world inhabited by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on their take on the first-ever fusion reaction. I can say that I wasn’t surprised. With all this publicity,Continue reading “Caveat Emptor…”
Solar Lilly Pads…
Topics: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Materials Science, Solar Power Leaf-like devices that are light enough to float on water could be used to generate fuel from solar farms located on open water sources. This avenue hasn’t been explored before, according to researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK who developed them. The newContinue reading “Solar Lilly Pads…”
Martian Windmills…
Topics: Applied Physics, Energy, Mars, Space Exploration (Inside Science) — Mars is known for its dust storms, which can cause problems for lander equipment and block out the sun that fuels solar panels. These punishing storms, which can last for weeks, have already caused damage to equipment and even killed NASA’s Opportunity rover. But they couldContinue reading “Martian Windmills…”
OIPCs and Janus…
Topics: Battery, Energy, Green Tech, Research, Solid-State Physics Janus, in Roman religion, the animistic spirit of doorways (januae) and archways (Jani). Janus and the nymph Camasene were the parents of Tiberinus, whose death in or by the river Albula caused it to be renamed Tiber. Source: Encylopedia Britannica Over the past decade, lithium-ion batteries have seen stunningContinue reading “OIPCs and Janus…”
Peat Batteries…
Topics: Battery, Biofuels, Chemistry, Energy, Green Tech TARTU, Estonia, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Peat, plentiful in bogs in northern Europe, could be used to make sodium-ion batteries cheaply for use in electric vehicles, scientists at an Estonian university say. Sodium-ion batteries, which do not contain relatively costly lithium, cobalt, or nickel, are one of theContinue reading “Peat Batteries…”
Nearing Ignition…
Topics: Energy, Environment, Modern Physics, Nuclear Fusion, Nuclear Power More than a decade ago, the world’s most energetic laser started to unleash its blasts on tiny capsules of hydrogen isotopes, with managers promising it would soon demonstrate a route to limitless fusion energy. Now, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has taken a major leap toward thatContinue reading “Nearing Ignition…”
Argonne, Assemble…
Topics: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Existentialism, Global Warming, Green Tech Thankfully, we’re not. Hat tip to Marvel, and Rotten Tomatoes. Scientists aren’t superheroes. Or are they? Superheroes defend the defenseless and save humanity from any number of disasters, both natural and unnatural, often using powers of logic and some really hip techno-gadgets. The Earth isContinue reading “Argonne, Assemble…”
Colloidal Quantum Dots…
Topics: Energy, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Quantum Mechanics, Solar Power ABSTRACTSolution-processed colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells are lightweight, flexible, inexpensive, and can be spray-coated on various substrates. However, their power conversion efficiency is still insufficient for commercial applications. To further boost CQD solar cell efficiency, researchers need to better understand and control how charge carriersContinue reading “Colloidal Quantum Dots…”
Argonne, and STEM…
Topics: Education, Energy, Research, STEM Argonne Educational Programs and Outreach transitioned to virtual summer programming, ensuring that Argonne continues to build the next generation of STEM leaders. At the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, scientists and educators have found new ways to balance their work with safety needs as the laboratory’s Educational Programs andContinue reading “Argonne, and STEM…”
Physics and Nano 